A single tweet has again demonstrated that the web is a battlefield where logic, legacy, and pure absurdity meet. A TikTok idol, Addison Rae, fan account shared a collage photo of Michael Jackson and Addison Rae with the caption: “Who made more impact on the music industry?” The tweet was so unhinged that X (formerly Twitter) was set ablaze, with a wildfire of laughter, rage, and shock following.
Twitter Listed “Be Serious Right Now”
It spread like wildfire within hours, garnering hundreds of thousands of views and turning itself into a meme. Fans of the then-King of Pop promptly killed the comparison, with a user starkly saying:
“I get that stan wars is a big deal on the Twitter machine but y’all are gonna have to compare these artists to realistic goals cuz nobody is surpassing Michael Jackson.”
Others have poked fun at the absurdity of the debate, with one saying:
“LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO STOP DISRESPECTING MJ MAN IM TIRED OF YALL.”
To most, even mentioning Addison Rae in the same sentence with Jackson was a kind of sacrilege against pop culture.
MJ Did Not Just Change Music, But Also the World
Place the discussion in context: Michael Jackson had world-wide record sales of more than 500 million, had broken MTV racial barriers, had redefined live performances, and had released the still-number-one album of all time, Thriller. He had turned music videos into events and had been one of the world’s first true celebrities, celebrated from L.A. to actual distant tribes without internet.
One reported response embodied this reality perfectly:
“Michael Jackson had individuals in contactless tribes that were aware of him and you’re likening him to a girl nobody even knows.”
That is not a diss against Addison, that is a cold reminder that Jackson is universally appealing.
Addison Rae Is in a Entire Different League
On the opposing side is Addison Rae, who became a star via TikTok and then branched into music. Her 2024 single Diet Pepsi reached 100 million streams, and she already has collaborations with titans such as Charli XCX and Lana Del Rey. Rae’s power is based in today’s viral, algorithm-driven culture, a far cry from Jackson’s physical album and TV-performance-based legacy along with cultural supremacy.
Still, not everyone was buying the comparison. One user jabbed:
“Addison is actually being killed by Tate McRae right now. And y’all are gonna compare her to the King of Pop.”
Another contributor:
“Mind you nobody is gonna remember who Addison Rae is in 25 years.”
The Internet Loves a Bad Comparison
It is not the first time that social media has tried to anoint a “new Michael Jackson.” Beyoncé, Chris Brown, The Weeknd, even Harry Styles have been subjected to the same weary analysis piled on them. Fans are in perpetual struggle with the comparison between modern, internet-assembled careers and perhaps the most earth-shaking presence in pop history.
As another X user perceptively pointed out:
“Why is everyone trying to compare singers with Michael Jackson? Odds are we will NEVER have someone even comparable to him, and that is alright. The world is a vastly different world than it was at that time.”
The Seat Is Not Up for Debate
The internet has spoken, and Michael Jackson remains undefeated. Addison Rae can keep building her niche as a web-centric pop princess, but nobody will ever occupy the throne of the King of Pop. As a fan posted in all capital letters:
“Whose impact was bigger on the music world, some female we randomly came across or THE ACTUAL KING OF POP WHOSE SEVERAL UNBROKEN RECORDS HE SET ARE NOT YET BROKEN TO THIS DAY.”
The response, for anyone curious yet, is self-evident.
